


Is this the end? Or just the beginning.

by flipflops



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Team Dynamics, a tad Olicity, angsty, don't know where this came from..., okay more than a tad maybe?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-11-02
Packaged: 2018-02-21 22:59:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2485370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflops/pseuds/flipflops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roy catches John and Felicity sneaking things out of the lair. He questions them while Oliver learns some hard truths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story hit me last Wednesday and begged to be written. I hope now that it is out of my head I can get back to my other fic.

Roy had noticed something weird with his teammates. Every few days when Oliver and Laurel (he hated when he put their names together like a couple) weren’t in the foundry, Diggle and Felicity would take a box or a bag out of the foundry. He never said anything but today he had to know. When they entered the club to head to the parking lot he stopped them. 

He held up his hand to stop them and they did, thank goodness. Diggle could break him in half and Felicity could use loud voice which is scary as hell. They both stopped. Looked at each other then at him expectantly. 

“What are you two doing? I’ve noticed the boxes or bags leaving, I’m not stupid.” They looked at one another again. 

“He’s not stupid.” Diggle says more to Felicity than to him. Felicity nods up at Diggle. “We are moving out...slowly.” 

“Moving out? Of the foundry? Why?” Roy couldn’t believe this. They were the ones spouting team at him all the time. The ones giving him a family and they are just leaving. Felicity sighs. Then motions for them to sit at a table. 

\---------------------

What none of them knew was Oliver had arrived with Laurel in tow, he’d seen the empty lair and went upstairs looking for his teammates. He found Roy confronting them. He decided not to make his presence known. He hadn’t noticed them taking stuff out or stuff missing. What is going on?

 

\--------------------------------------

 

Roy waited impatiently for one of them to speak. “Well?” They looked at one another again. 

“We realized a couple of weeks ago, that the team is changing. We’re not a team anymore...and John and I realize that when it comes down to it...Oliver will choose Laurel.” Roy sees how sad she is.

“Choose Laurel for what?” He doesn’t get it. Sure, Laurel is around a lot more lately. He doesn’t like it, he isn’t fond of her. He’d choose Sara any day of the week over her to have his back. He only tolerates because Thea liked her so much. 

John decides to speak, “When I joined up with Oliver it was to get his help finding my brother’s killer.” John gets choked up. “When Oliver COULD have helped me, he chose Laurel and one of her crusades.” Roy can feel the bitterness seeping into his voice. “Forgive and forget, right? I forgave him. I nearly forgot it because he helped me get Lyla back. But now, I can see it happening again.” He looks to Felicity who isn’t looking at them but away at the floor. He can make out tears in her eyes. 

“I am going to run this box to my car real quick.” It comes out strangled. She is fighting back tears, the pain was evident in her voice. Roy and Diggle watch her go.

“What about her? Oliver loves her. She loves him.” Roy is glad he was cured because he was getting angrier and angrier. Diggle sighs at him. “Oliver may love her, but Laurel..she plays on Sara’s death. She plays on his guilt. Oliver has a blind spot with her, always has. He claims it’s over but....lately I’ve seen it.”

“I don’t get it. Why does he let her do it?” 

They hear the click of Felicity’s shoes then her reply, “Laurel is IT for Oliver. THE ONE. The one he survived the island for, the one he wanted to prove he is worthy to and mostly, the one he loves most.” 

“Bullshit. He loves you. I SAW it.” Roy argues. She is shaking her head. “I should get down there before they arrive.” 

The two older, wiser and longer teammates look at him, “Roy have you noticed how she tells me what to do? How I am expected to do whatever she wants? l am her servant. Her assistant. Not her teammate. Oliver says nothing.” Roy has noticed but said nothing. It angers him and he wanted to say something but didn’t feel he could. He normally takes his cues from John where Laurel is concerned. He’s watched John get angry and have to ‘get some air’ or give her a look that says ‘shut up’.”

John waits a beat before speaking, “How she just takes whatever she wants, does whatever she wants, gets us into bad situations and we are all expected to blindly follow her and save her ass? If any of us did that we’d get our asses handed to us...not her. It’s coming. The decision has been made. He made it a long time ago. Now, it’s our turn to decide when WE have had enough.”  
\---------------------------------------------------

Oliver ran down the stairs. Laurel was sitting down there. She smiled. He just nodded towards her. He was leaning against the desk waiting for Felicity. Arms crossed rubbing his forehead. How did it come to this? Sure, he had told her he couldn’t be the arrow and Oliver Queen. He still loves Felicity, doesn’t she see that? John was his best friend he has and his mentor. Roy was slowly becoming a brother. They were his family. Laurel was... Laurel. 

Felicity was leading the way down the stairs. She stopped when she saw Oliver leaning against her desk. Roy and John were behind her several steps. John whispered, “This could be it.” Roy looked scared. 

Oliver had watched Felicity run to Barry for comfort. He’d watched her grow closer to John and Roy. He’d watched with a lump in his throat every time she had gone to Palmer whether it was work related or not. He’d pushed his body past it’s limits to try to rid himself of the images of Felicity with someone else. Loving someone else.He’d do extra patrols to not think about her, to not go to her and beg her to be his and only his. He’d even cried and grieved for the life they could have, should have. 

Never once did he consider that she might think he is going back to Laurel. He never thought his absence would be viewed as him wanting Laurel back. He let Laurel do shit because he didn’t care. He doesn’t have the energy to fight her, the criminals and his own demons. He should have talked to her about getting into things, about her running off into danger and especially about her treatment of Felicity. He isn’t a leader by nature so this was a role her struggled with. 

But going back to Laurel? That is not a possibility. He is thinking about what could have given her these ideas. He thinks back to all the times he has spent with Laurel. Mostly because it doesn’t hurt him. Those wounds are healed and are barely a scar. John looks at him with pity. Roy looks at him with accusatory looks. Felicity doesn’t look at him. Laurel just is Laurel. Same blame game as always. It doesn’t hurt any more.

 

“We need a team meeting.” Oliver says as the three of them arrive in the basement. Everyone gathers around. Oliver never takes his eyes off Felicity who never looks up at him. She does look to John who returns the look. Roy just looks scared. Laurel looks curiously at him. 

“We are a team. Always.” They all look at him. “I know in the past, I made bad decisions. Ones not right for all of us. I won’t do that again. Laurel is a part of our team, but she is not what she once was to me. We are all equals. I’m sorry I didn’t make this clearer to everyone.” 

“What?” Laurel asks. He isn’t sure what she wants to know. 

“I chose you or helped you when I should have been here, with the team.” She looks at the rest of them. “Well, we’ve been friends longer. We’ve meant more to one another than.” she waves her hand at them, “any of them.” Felicity makes a sound. A tiny squeak. The pain needing to come out. Roy and John both move closer to her. Both glaring at Laurel and Oliver. 

Once Felicity is okay, Roy moves to grab his stuff. If Felicity and John are going, he is too. He is angrily throwing things in. “Roy! Get back over here.” He throws the bag down and walks to Felicity and John. All the while, glaring at Oliver and Laurel. She is destroying the closest thing to a family he has known in a long time.

“This isn’t two teams we are ONE team.” He looks at Laurel. She seems unaffected. Oliver has no clue how to do a pep talk. That is usually John or Felicity’s thing, which highlights how much he needs them. He decides to go with his gut.

“I know in the past I went and helped Laurel when I should have been here with the team. I know that I put you both at risk for her sake. When I said that was over her, I meant it.” He looks down. Laurel gasps. Obviously she had no idea this was an issue. She thought her and Oliver were best friends and working their way back to one another. 

“The blinders are off. I heard you talking upstairs. You can stop moving out. I’m not --” he stops. How does he do this?

He looks to John, “John you are my brother. You have had my back when no one else has and you are always the one I can turn to.” John knows this is difficult for Oliver. Sharing, talking and connecting is tough for Oliver still after all this time. 

“Roy, you’re a kid brother. I see myself in you. I suck at the mentoring thing I know, but I hope you choose to stay.” Roy looks to the other members and is non-committal. 

This time he walks over to the person he has to address, Felicity and takes her hand, “You are my friend, my partner, my girl. I do love you. If I can have a life, I want it with you.” He puts his forehead to hers, there are tears in both their eyes. “Only you. I know I have nothing to offer you but...my broken self...” his voice drops to a whisper, “please don’t leave me...not completely, not yet...please...please don’t give up on me.”


	2. new beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...a lot of you asked for me to continue and I spent a lot of time, my commute was a good time to think about this, right? Or in the shower? My water bill will be sad, going through scenarios in my head to put more up. This is the best one, I think. Let me know what you think (nicely and gently...my muse seems to be taking some time off...)

Every time Oliver entered the foundry, he checked. He would look through the gun cabinets, then Diggle’s locker. He wanted to see if his friend had moved more things out. He noticed some things had returned. He smiled. Next, came the hard part, looking for signs that Felicity was staying. He’d eyeball her desk, nothing had disappeared. Nothing had reappeared. He’d check the kitchenette for her things. Her various coffee mugs and special creamers were all present and accounted for. Then he would check her cubby and cabinets. He said a silent plea each time. He slowly opened the cabinet doors. He let out a breath, nothing else gone. 

He knew he was invading their privacy. Logically he knew this but in his heart he had to know. He needed to know they weren’t leaving. He argued with himself daily, that maybe letting them go was best. Then his heart would ache and he knew he was too selfish. 

He remembers begging her to stay :  
“...please don’t leave....” He had begged. She had nodded her head, “I won’t. I promise.” She was crying. He looked around and everyone was watching and he didn’t care. “I am trying so hard to get back to you..I just don’t know HOW..”She nods again. Their foreheads still resting on each other.

“I won’t wait forever Oliver...I NEED a life...with you. Please come back to me.” she whispered. Then she kissed his cheek and walked away. Her walking away from him was becoming a thing. John had followed her. Roy then came over to him, “Fix this shit, now.” Oliver nodded at the younger man. He left leaving Oliver alone with Laurel. 

“You have to be nicer. I know you lost Sara and you’re hurting but you can’t do what you’ve been doing. It’s not fair to them, to me or to yourself.” She scoffs at him. 

“Fair? I lost my sister, twice! I lost you three times. I lost Tommy! Why can’t THEY be nicer to me.” Oliver pinches the bridge of his nose and turns away to think. After a few seconds he turns back to her, “Laurel, life isn’t fair. I was in hell for five years. I got Sara back and lost her too.” 

“Yet, you’ve moved on to your secretary.”

“Ex- Executive Assistant.” He shakes his head, “Sara was with Nyssa, she knew I needed Felicity. That I love her. she dumped me in front of Felicity.” Laurel rolls her eyes. 

“Her? Really Ollie?” He hated the way she made it seem like Felicity was less than incredible. Like she was the better option. “Yes. HER. It will always be HER. Whether she leaves or stays..if she marries someone else” his voice hitched because that was an awful thought, “It will STILL be HER. Only her.”

This time she scoffs, rolls her eyes and folds her arms defensively over her chest, “I..what does she have?” 

He is barely holding the rage in, his voice slips dangerously close to his Arrow voice, “ Well, she isn’t a drunk!” He admits that he lost his temper, but he doesn’t apologize he continues while she looks indignant, “She is beautiful, she graduated from MIT and I don’t have to prove myself worthy to her. I went to hell and she understands that. She loves me. All the fucked up broken pieces of me.” 

“Do NOT come back to me, when you realize once again I am the one for you. I am over your bullshit!” With that she storms out. He is relieved. One problem down, a million more to go. 

He hears someone coming down the stairs. Felicity. His heart is lighter already. He was struggling with finding a balance with letting go of his need to protect the city and his desire and need to be with her. 

“Hi.” she says breathlessly. He’d missed this.   
“Hi. How was work?”  
“Alright..I miss you being there.”   
“I miss being there but only because of you...” He smiles at her. 

“Oh GOD...kill me now!” It’s Roy. “I am so happy you two are working things out but you’re killing me with this.” He walks over to the mats. They just smile at one another. 

Things went well for a few weeks. Then he noticed things were leaving again. Laurel had been bitchy, per usual. He’d pulled away, lost in his own head, doubting he could be with her and Felicity took more stuff out. He couldn’t confront her or she’d know he’d been spying. She wasn’t being flirty with him. Her smiles were less and less. She was working at her desk. He knew he had to man up or let her go. Laurel was at a desk by Felicity’s. Roy and John were sparring. “Felicity?” 

“yeah?” she asks without taking her eyes off her computer screen. He rolls his eyes why is everything so difficult with her. “Felicity!” She spins around “What?”

“I was wondering if you’d risk dinner with me again, and to clarify. Just us. A date-date. With me.” He smiles down at her and she beams up at him. 

“I’d love to, when?”  
“Tonight?” She nods and spins back around to work to her program. He looks to Laurel who glares at him. If looks could kill he’d be dead. Roy and John do mock clapping. He just shakes his head and goes back to sharpening arrows. 

They made it all the way through dinner. No rockets being launched at them. They did run into an ex of Oliver’s. A one night stand. It was mildly uncomfortable. Felicity just looked amused until the woman slipped Oliver her number. She turns to him, “That was rude! I mean I get it...why would YOU be interested in me, but she could wait until I wasn’t sitting here.” She looks shocked, “I can’t believe I said that..out loud..to you.” She blushes. 

He tosses the number on the empty tray as a waiter passes by their table. She laughs at him. He pays the bill and they leave. They are walking to his car when he hears a scream. He looks around. Then to her, she nods and he punches the button to open the trunk puts on his mask, whips his suit off while she stands guard. His leathers were on underneath..

“good thing you weren’t getting lucky tonight, that’d be unromantic to try and take off you..” once again, she realizes too late what she said and looks away. He kisses her cheek, puts his quiver over his shoulder then grabs his bow. 

“Don’t worry I’ll take your car back to the foundry.” she tells him.

After that night, things get tense again, on his side not hers. He can’t just drop her every time someone needs him. He needs to do better. It’s happened after two of their four dates. She smiles every time. And every time he goes and saves the person who needs it, stops the crime or runs interference. He usually then goes to her place and watches her from the building across the street. She’s safe. He heads home. 

He had been doing well. He had regained some of the lost ground until one night Felicity was late. It happened. Ray not being in on their secret life, kept her late or meeting had to be held late. Oliver left for patrol. He knew Roy would be in the foundry. He was half way across town when Roy, who still wasn’t good with the comm link, shouted, “Oh my god, what the hell happened to you?” Oliver froze. Laurel rarely came around and Diggle was on diaper duty..that left “Felicity? Roy what’s wrong with her?” He waits. He doesn’t hear Roy breathing and the kid is a mouth breather. “ROY! talk to me!” Nothing. He runs back to his bike and breaks at least a two dozen traffic laws.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger. Really! I *think* I know where I'm going with this and that needed to happen to give me time to make sure it can go where I think it can...does that make sense? :)


	3. Kiss me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity was hurt..how will Oliver react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry I meant to post earlier. I thought today would be an easier day that it was. Today is the anniversary of my Dad's death and it was hard for me. So I apologize in advance for any mistakes and if this chapter sucks. I will make it up to y'all. 
> 
> Thanks again for the wonderful comments and kudos. Thanks for reading this and pushing me to do it and making it better. I feel like this is a group effort. :)

Oliver arrives at the foundry, he drops his bike to the ground then runs for the stairs. He punches in the code and practically flies down the stairs. He heads over to the med bay. Roy is blocking his view. He rationalizes that John isn’t here so maybe she isn’t that bad. He shoves Roy out of the way. Roy just smirks and throws his hands up.

He looks her up and down. It’s good she’s sitting. A good sign. Her shoes are gone. Her feet are filthy. Her knees are scraped and bloody. Her dress is torn a bit and dirty. Their are bruises on her arms where someone grabbed her and held too tight. He growls seeing them. He looks up to her face. Their is a bruise where someone slapped her, hard. Someone was going to die. He just needed a name. He looks into her eyes, she’s crying. Dead person could wait. His number was up. His girl needed him. 

He stepped between her legs and pulled her into his chest. “What happened?” She sniffles. “I don’t want to tell you...” Felicity had never said that to him. Sure, they had avoided topics, but this felt wrong. He steps back, cups her face, “Please tell me?” She searches his eyes. He can’t hide the murderous glare or his love for her. She bites her lips. Whatever it is, she thinks it will spin him out of control. 

“I was mugged...really, that’s all..” She smiles up at him hoping he lets it go. He doesn’t “Mugged? really?” He levels her with his stare. She wrinkles her nose and nods. He still glares. 

“Fine.” She jumps off the table and winces. Her knees have to hurt. He reaches out a hand to steady her and she rebuffs it. He is glad to see her stubborn streak was not at all affected by her ‘mugging’. “I am going to tell you. But I swear Oliver, if you use this as a reason to pull away AGAIN. I’m gone. I will be your IT girl but ONLY your IT girl. Got it?” He smiles. Damn he loves her. He motions with his hand for her to continue. 

“I need to hear you say you understand me.” He rolls his eyes at her. 

“I understand.” That last thing he wants is to lose her. He looks at her, she takes a steadying breath and tell him. 

“I was mugged. The jerk wanted my tablet! My precious wonderful baby tablet. I tried to argue with him. I tried to give him money..”   
“You know that’s not how that works. You give them what they want and you run.” She glares at him, sticks her tongue out and folds her while turning away. He spins her back around. “Sorry. Tell me the rest.” 

“He wanted it because...he knows I work with the Arrow. He knows it could have information about you, about the team and he said he needed to know what you know...I didn’t recognize him so I told him we knew nothing....then I told him it was kind of stupid if he knows I work for you to mug me....your vengeful streak?” she stops, wrinkles that cute nose again and smiles, “Kind of well know...arrows, bodies...it’s your thing...not your THING..but..so shutting up.” 

He couldn’t help himself. He kissed her. 

“And that’s my cue to leave. Bye” He heard Roy leave. 

“You’re not pulling away...” She says and there lips are still touching. 

“I’m trying to do the opposite here, I know I’m rusty at this, but work with me here.” She leans up and kisses him more. Then suddenly pulls back. 

“Oliver, we have to find my baby. It does have a lot on it.”

“Felicity, I’m sure you have worked your magic and the guy can’t touch us.” She is searching his face. He can’t lie to her and they both know it. He completely trusts her. He treats her wounds. Every time she winces he does too. He hates her hurting like this. Eventually they are done. He cleans up the mess. 

She hops off the table and once again nearly collapses. “I am such a wimp. I feel horrible that my knees being scraped has me in pain!” She ducks her face down. He touches her chin with his index finger and lifts it so she looks at him, “I love that about you. I love that you aren’t used to pain like that.” He leans down and kisses then scoops her up. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Taking my girl home.” He carries her up the steps and to his bike. “Really your bike? And what the hell happened to your bike? Did someone try to take it?” She is really worried about his bike! 

“Not driving your toy car, Felicity.” He says it jokingly but she knows he’s serious. She giggles as he puts the helmet on her. “I dropped it. I didn’t want to waste time, time I could spend making sure you were okay.”

“Oh.” 

“You know...we really need to work on our timing...” he quirks his eyebrow up at her in question, he knows this will be good so he crosses his arms and waits, “You take me on dates where you don’t bring me home...tonight? No date and you’re taking me home.” He laughs. 

“Maybe someday we will get to do both, on the same date.” He tells her. 

He moves to get on the bike while she tells him, “What fun is that...I don’t see THAT happening until we live in the same place, so you have to...oh...why does my brain hate me so much!” He had frozen in his seat. She has her hands over her face. He pulls them down, damn she is cute in that helmet. 

“Thank you.” He whispers to her. She tilts her head in question. “Thank you for letting me know, in your quirky adorable way, that you are thinking of us long term too.” He can tell she is replaying what he said in her head. Then she smiles and throws her arms around him. She get on the bike and he takes his girl home. 

When they get to her place he walks her up the front steps and up to her apartment. “I would kiss you goodnight but ...secret identity and all..” He jokes through the visor. She is unlocking her, then turns, grabs his hood and pulls him. She pushes him up against the door. 

“You can kiss me now.” He is certain he got that helmet off in record time. He makes sure it’s a good and thorough kiss. They are both left breathless. He wants to try his luck at going further tonight but then he remembers he has a mugger to catch. He tells her goodnight. 

As he makes his way to the bike he contacts Roy. 

“On it already. She gave me a description before you got there. I’m on him, now.” He gives Oliver the details and he heads over. They find the guy who is not a criminal mastermind. He thought mugging Felicity would be easy and he’d sell the information. He underestimated Felicity’s computer skills and the devotion of the Arrow to her. Stupid mistake.

“You touched the wrong person.” Oliver tells him. “She is off limits. You tell your friends that. The next one to touch her gets the arrow a bit higher.” The guy gulps. Oliver smirks and drives and arrow into his knee.

Oliver gets her tablet back in perfect condition. He then puts the exact same marks he left on Felicity on him.. Then he calls Captain Lance and tells him where to find the guy and what he did. 

Oliver calls today a win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously considered having Ray be the bad guy..I'm thinking I'll save that for another story. I am not a Ray fan, as of now. I wrote it all out but the problem was it would have to be a much longer story and I was having trouble reconciling my anti Ray issues with what was good for the story.


	4. I see that you've come so far To be right where you are How old is your soul?  Read more: Jason Mraz - I Won’t Give Up Lyrics | MetroLyrics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay..some angst. I know..but we need it, right? And we all know Oliver makes dumb mistakes and doesn't always think things through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big Thanks to Marcy10 and Civilliany for their comments yesterday. you both rock!! I appreciate all the people who read this, those comment and leave kudos. <3
> 
> This is the next to last chapter! I actually wrote this chapter before the last one..I knew I needed angst in this story but wanted some happy first! :) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

Oliver had broken his promise. He’d pulled away. Only for a couple days he tried to make it seem better in his head saying it was only a couple of day. And to protect her from his pain. He knew it was a lie. He knows he hurt her, is hurting her. Worse he’d done it to help Laurel. She’d asked him to help her with a case. He did. It was a woman who was battered and abused. The Arrow put the fear of...well, the arrow in him. It didn’t work. Oliver saw on the news that night, the guy killed the woman right after he posted bail, that same night. Two nights ago. Laurel and he commiserated over their failure. They didn’t have sex, they didn’t drink they just complained, or sat in stony silence or went running. 

It was time to go back. It was time to face the music. 

Oliver and Laurel returned to the foundry. When Oliver and Laurel walked in together, Roy had his arms around Felicity. Oliver was pissed. He’d had a shitty couple of nights and this is what he comes back to. His teammate and girlfriend cuddling? What in the hell? He stalked over to them.

“What is going on here?” She raises her head and looks at him. Then to Laurel. Shit. He realizes how this looks. He steps away from her. Too late. Roy drops his arms as Felicity walks out them. “What is going on with you?” He looks sheepish. “A case.” She glares. 

“Roy here is was comforting because my supposed partner and boyfriend was missing and I could only presume since he was unreachable, he was dead...” She is crying he moves to comfort. She steps back and holds up her hand, “No. You don’t get to disappear and reappear with HER.” She looks over at Laurel who doesn’t even have the decency to look guilty, “Nope. Not gonna happen.” She walks out. 

Oliver doesn’t go after her. He pulls into himself more. This time when he checks the places, things are leaving. He did exactly what she and John feared. He should have been here. He should have told her what he was doing. He should have turned to her...he should do that now. 

Instead, he places more distance between them. He can’t even blame her for doing it. He doesn’t talk to her when she comes back to the foundry unless it is directly arrow related. John kicks his ass at sparring and asks if he slept with Laurel. He tells him no, of course not. Now, he wonders if he believed him and if he was asking for Felicity or himself or both. Roy curses him under his breath. 

Laurel has come back and seems oddly satisfied with herself. Until Oliver fights with her. He does notice the looks she gives the other. Later, Roy tells him she murmured something about their fighting being foreplay. Oliver punches the bag until it breaks. 

 

Felicity...Felicity looks like she’s lost her best friend. So does he, because he has. He lost the only person who stood by him not matter what, who believed in him when there wasn’t a lot to believe in. He sighs. He didn’t even think twice when Laurel asked for help. He just went. Then when it blew up in their faces, he couldn’t leave her place. He felt like he’d failed everyone. He couldn’t face Felicity as a failure. He now knows she wouldn’t have seen it or him as a failure. Stupid Oliver, really stupid. 

 

===========================================

They meet a week later on the roof of her apartment. She’d called his phone. Telling him she was tired of his watching her from the other rooftop. Tired of him asking about her..it was time to “get this over with”. He only hopes she means a talk not them, as a couple. What if he loses her. 

 

“Why you?” She asks him the second he lands on her roof. She is cold, he wonders why they couldn’t do this in her apartment where she could be warm. He asks her.

“Why? I haven’t been warm in a long time. Since the day I watched you walk into the foundry with Laurel. You broody and her with that barely contained gleeful smile.” She is angry. He’s never seen her this upset. He gulps. 

“Again, Oliver...why YOU? She is a DA she could do something.”

“Who else? Who else could have helped that girl? Who else will step up and save this city?” He storms over to the edge of the building. Why can’t she see this? She’s always understood before. They--She always got him--because he ALWAYS turned to her. Shit. 

 

“Oliver, maybe if you LET them the citizens would step up! Other cities survive without someone giving up their entire life to them!” He snorts. Other cities haven’t been through what Starling has.

 

\------------------------------------------  
“I can’t ask someone else to do this. I can’t ask someone else to die for me.” He tells her. 

She is so angry. she had agreed to give him time and she had! She worked hard to get him back and now...She turns to him and walks right up to him, in his personal space, tilts her head back, “THIS is killing ME. Does that even matter to you at all?” She can tell it’s like a punch to the gut. “I love you. I want you, all of you. I can handle you going out and risking your life. I can handle listening to it...I can’t handle this holding pattern. ...You begged me once not to leave..I’m begging you to either let me go or be with me, completely. Please...stop killing me.” She is upset with herself. She promised herself not to cry. 

She sees it in his eyes when he starts letting the guilt overwhelm him. 

“Stop it Oliver! The world will not end if you let go. The world will not end if you choose me. Stop taking on everything...LOOK at me.” he turns his head to her, she grabs his face, “I love you. I NEED you. They don’t. They need their hero, a hero. I need the man.” She walks over to the door. “I need the man I love...”

“I will leave my window unlocked tonight. IF it’s me..I’ll see you later. If it’s the city....this is it. I am your IT whiz. Your partner. I WILL be someone else’s--, I deserve to be someone’s everything.”

The tears are flowing freely now..

“Oliver, your parents both died for you and Thea...do you really think they’d want you to waste their gift on only half a life? Because I don’t. Moira may have had issues with me, but she loved you...she would want more for you. I can only imagine your dad would feel the same..I don’t think he realized HOW your promise to him would cost you .”

 

With that she leaves him. She can only hope he comes to her. 

 

==============================================

Oliver falls to the floor. How can she of all people make him choose. It’s not fair. He bemoans. He sits fully on the roof. Then he is honest and knows what he is doing isn’t fair. Holding her to him, binding them together in order to not lose her. Keeping her at arm’s length and pulling her closer only to push her away again. He doesn’t know what to do or how to do it. He stands up and pulls out his phone. 

“John? I need you.” 

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felicity knows what she is about to do is probably not the smartest thing. She knocks anyways. Laurel answers her door. 

“May I come in?” Laurel looks at her curiously. Felicity knows Laurel has no love for her. She knows Laurel finds her lacking. Lacking in beauty, style and sex appeal. Laurel probably even thinks she is smarter than Felicity which almost makes her laugh. She can see it every time Laurel looks at her like she is a piece of lint stuck to her sweater. Felicity has been looked at like that many times in her life. Laurel motions for her to come in. 

Felicity enters and looks around. Her apartment is nice. Sophisticated like Laurel. It also liked warmth...like Laurel. 

“What do you want?” Laurel inquires in a bored tone. Felicity frowns then turns to face her. 

“I know what you’re doing. Getting Oliver to help you. Trying to drive a wedge between us. I get it. You want him back...or the him you think he is.” 

Laurel smirks. “If only Ollie would believe you.” 

“It doesn’t matter if he does or doesn’t. You know you can break us up. However, you won’t break the team. John, Roy and I will be with him forever...at least like that.”

Laurel laughs. “Dear sweet naive, Felicity--You have no idea who Ollie is down deep. He wants me. He may be your hero but he has always wanted to be MINE. My everything.” Felicity wrinkles her nose. Oliver was attractive, no doubt, when he was chasing her but he was always kind of sad and not someone she could seriously be with. 

“Laurel...dumb as a rock Laurel. He is my hero. OLIVER is my hero. I have no interest in your OLLIE. He bores the snot out of me....the fact he has to earn your love should be reason enough for him to not want you--” 

“But he does..want me. I can feel it. We’re soul mates.” 

Felicity admits he wants something from her, but she won’t admit that out loud, not to Laurel. 

“If you can take him, he isn’t mine. I will fight Oliver for his heart and his soul. I won’t fight you for his body. I have more self respect than that..” she gives Laurel a look that says ‘unlike you’. 

“YOU..who chases him, does not believe I have self respect?” She smiles at her. 

“Nope.” she pops the “p” and looks at her. “If ANY man screwed my sister TWICE. Chose my sister TWICE..I’d never touch him again...” she shrugs, “but that’s me and my self esteem talking.” She heads for the door. 

“I won’t quit the team. I will make it less a home, which is why I took my stuff away. But I won’t quit the team..and I won’t stop fighting you for Oliver’s soul. I won’t let you make him a killer.” With that she turns on her heel and leaves. 

Ball is in Oliver’s court and there is nothing she can do, but hope he is willing to fight for her.


	5. When one door closes, another opens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has read, given kudos or commented on this story. As you know, this was an one shot that I was pushed (gratefully!) into making a bit longer. I am so thankful for the challenge! I really feel like most of my stories are a group effort, but this one especially! I hope you enjoy this final chapter!

Before John had met Oliver at the foundry, he called Roy to check on Felicity. They both agreed they deserve some sort of award for dealing with this much drama.

Oliver had told him everything. John just kept shaking his head. He walks over to his friend and punches him. Oliver deserves it. He doesn’t even try to block it or give back a punch. “I leave you alone for a couple of weeks to spend time with my daughter and you mess up this much? I think you need me more than she does!” 

 

“What do I do John?” John is considering him. 

“Do you love her Oliver? Really love her?” Oliver gives him a look that says he’s angry and of course he loves her. 

“Then fight for her. Go to her place...she gave you one last chance. Take it. Then make a rule, NO LAUREL. I’m not saying you can’t be partners here but no just the two of you missions. Be open and include Felicity in everything. IF she is your everything then make sure you include her in everything.” Oliver nods. John is good at this. 

“Oh and take flowers and a gift card for new toys for her...damn is her inappropriate phrases contagious?” John smirked and left Oliver to decide. 

“What if I hurt her?” he asks sounding like a little boy. John smiles. 

“You will hurt her. Hurting is part of life. We aren’t perfect. Just do not hurt her in the ways people don’t come back from.” John levels a look at him. Oliver nods. He knows. “Oliver? Laurel will always be a sore spot. Felicity feels inferior and Laurel likes to make her feel that way.” Oliver looks up at him. John is right she does. He lets her get away with it because of his guilt over the Gambit. Over Sara’s death. Over so many things. But Felicity is more important than his sense of guilt. 

“Do I need to cut Laurel out of my life?”   
“Could you?” Oliver nods. If it means keeping Felicity he could do just about anything. John continues, “I don’t think Felicity will ask that of you, but you should be prepared. This, how things are right now, can’t continue.” Oliver gets up and walks around. 

“It tore her apart when you slept with Isabel. She saw that as the end. Like you couldn’t care for her, not as a woman. Then Sara and she knew or thought she did. She thought she would be your best friend, or another kid sister.” 

Oliver looks at him with complete shock. He never not once thought of her as he does Thea. She was all woman from the first second he laid eyes on her. He remembers John is talking, “Now, you have to prove to her she is the only one for you. She loves you, man. The question has always been are you strong enough to let her?” 

Oliver was about to argue when he got it. Is he strong enough emotionally, to allow her to get close to him? To risk losing what they have for everything they could be? It’s not his enemies or the criminals keeping them apart, it’s him. Him and his inner demons. Can he do this? 

“I love her John. I want to be the one she loves...”

“Then do it. All she wants is you. All she wants is for you to let her in...” Oliver looks at his friend. “She wants to bring me out of this darkness .” John nods.   
“If anyone can do it, she can Oliver. If you let her in, if you are strong enough to do this. I KNOW she is. I’ve seen her fight for you and with you...” John give him that look he knows so well. The one that says ‘don’t be a dumbass, again’.

He whispers out loud, to himself and maybe to John, “Do I even deserve her? Am I good enough...” 

John shakes his head, “You are who she wants. She’s a smart woman, the smartest I know..trust her. She is a woman who knows what she wants and needs.” He slaps him on the back and leaves. 

They both know John gave him guidance, it is up to Oliver to follow through. 

 

============================================

Felicity arrived home and paced. She went to her room and Oliver was not there. Maybe she missed him? Surely, he would wait, right? She is pacing biting her thumbnail when there is a knock on her apartment door. She runs and throws it open. “oh..I mean, hi..what are you doing here?” Roy looks nervous. 

“Digg sent me since Oliver called him.” She invites him and he cautiously enters. She can tell he’d rather be anywhere else. “Did you draw the short straw? Is talking to me better or worse than Oliver?” The kid looks like a deer caught in headlights. “I’d rather talk to you. Oliver is broody and can and would hurt me.” She smiles. He is right. Oliver does enjoy torturing Roy. 

“Felicity are you okay?” She stops her pacing and looks at him. Is she okay? She feels okay for now. As long as it’s still night, he could come to her. She still has hope. It’s when the sun starts to rise and hope starts to fade, then she won’t be. 

“I’m fine. You really don’t have to stay here you know.” He shakes his head, “No way am I telling Digg I left you alone. I will leave but not now.” She smiles at him. He is a good guy, even if Oliver doesn’t see it. They go and sit in her living room. She turns on the tv and they watch some crappy reality tv. 

After the second episode ends, Roy turns to her. “I know he is coming. He loves you..” She shakes her head. The tears finally start to fall. “I screwed up. BIG.” Roy slides over and puts his arm around her.

“He loves you. It doesn’t matter what you did.”   
“This time it does. I confronted Laurel.” Roy doesn’t say anything so she looks up at him, he is smiling. “Please tell me you recorded it? You wore a comm and recorded it?” She shakes her head. “Sorry.” He acts offended then smiles. 

“Was it epic?” She nods. “Yes but it was still wrong.” He is shaking his head. “No. You could never be mean so it wasn’t wrong. I know you well enough to know you were as nice as anyone could be.” She is relieved. “Will Oliver think so is the real question.”

“He will. He does dumb stuff, but he has Digg giving him direction tonight.” They both laugh. Felicity sends Roy home. She goes to her bathroom, brushes her teeth then changes for bed. With all her nighttime routines done, she heads for bed after double checking and the window is unlocked. She turns the light off and wraps her arms around her legs and curls up in the fetal position. She cries and whispers, “he is not coming.”

 

===========================================

Oliver went and got flowers. It was late so not a lot of options. He decides to make his way over to her building. He climbed her fire escape and sure enough, the window was unlocked. He needed to discuss how unsafe that was with her later. He climbed in and saw her wide awake in her bed. She’d been crying. He hurriedly took off the hood and his boots. He slid in next to her and she crawled into his arms. 

“I was thinking you weren’t coming.” 

“That wasn’t an option. I just needed to talk to John.” He uses his thumb to rub her cheek. “I can’t live without you, you’re my girl. I just needed to get my head on straight. This...relationship thing? I’m not good at it..I don’t know how to do it, but I want to do this...all of it with you. Arrow or no arrow.”

She moved to sit on his thighs, while his back and head are against her headboard and kissed him, “I love you Oliver.” He is overwhelmed with love for her and he knows he will never tire of hearing her say those words to him, “I love you too..so, so much.” He kissed her. She pulls away. 

“I don’t want you to give up the hood...it’s part of you. I understand that and your commitment to the cause, it’s what I first loved about you....plus leather? kinda hot.” He laughed. A real deep laugh, the first one in a week. 

He stops laughing. “I don’t know how to do this. I don’t want to destroy you. I don’t want to lose you the way I seem to lose everyone I care about.” She looks at him with so much love it is almost to much to take in. 

“Oliver..you lost people. It’s horrible. We can lose people no matter who or what we are. I lost my dad because he chose something else. You lost your parents to horrible situations. We lost Sara. It is awful but that doesn’t mean we stop loving those left behind. It means we have to fight even harder for what matters.” He just stares at her, she can always make things seem better. Make it seem possible. Could it be that easy. 

She grabs his face in her hands, “Oliver..you could lose me tomorrow”, he pales and his heart drops to his stomach and he shakes his head, “You probably won’t. The thing is I would die happy. I would have LIVED because of you. When you came into my office, you changed me. You saved me from a boring, meaningless existence.” She kisses him. He could stay here forever. He could watch the city burn, if he could just stay right here forever.   
“Felicity? I love kissing you. Do I ever love kissing you, but we need to talk.” She pulls back. “Should I be offended?” She teases. 

“No, you should feel loved. This is important. We are important. I need to tell you things. I need you to know that you are my priority.” She nods. “I need to do this right. If I screw up everything in my life, I need to know I treated you right.” He stops and smiles to himself. 

“What?” 

“I remember my dad once telling me that one day I’d meet a girl and I’d want to do everything right. I thought he was an idiot.” He smirks. “You make me wish I had been a better person and that I knew how to do things right.” 

“You are doing things right. Our right might not be what other’s think is right.” She hugs him. “I am glad you screwed up a lot...” he raises his head and looks at her like she’s lost it this time, “Don’t get me wrong, some of your ‘mistakes’ hurt me, but you wouldn’t be you without them... we wouldn’t be here.” He thinks about it and she is probably right. 

She looks away. “What?” He asks concern in his voice. She looks him in the eye, “I have to ask Oliver. I am sorry.” He looks at her and waits. 

“After the mission with Laurel. When you disappeared...did you sleep with her?” He just blinks. He isn’t hurt she asked, she has every right to know. He just can’t believe he didn’t have to explain himself sooner. “NO! Absolutely not. We mostly sat in silence. I was reliving what we did. How we screwed up. Sex..wasn’t on my mind at all.” She nods. She believes him, she just needed to hear the words. She is certain had they slept together Laurel would have told her. 

======================================

Felicity excuses herself to get ready. When she comes out he has gone but left her a note. He was in his arrow suit, so she knew he’d be gone when she came out. She heads to her car to go to the foundry. 

When she arrives Oliver is outside waiting for her. She smiles at him, he takes her hand and they descend the stairs. She can hear John and Roy sparring. When they get down the stairs she also sees Laurel leaning against her desk. She knows why she is here and realizes she forgot to tell Oliver. She mumbles “uh oh” Oliver looks down at her and squeezes her hand tighter to reassure her, she guesses. 

“Ollie. We need to talk. Alone.” She folds her arms over her chest and bats her eyes at him. Then glares triumphantly at Felicity. Crap. Felicity knows Oliver told her they are a couple. He loves her. She loves him but she can’t help the worry. Roy and John head for the stairs while Felicity starts to pull her hand from Oliver’s. He holds on tighter, “No.” He tells her. Then he yells over to the guys, “Get back here.” They both jog over to him. He turns to Laurel. 

“We are a team. Whatever you have to say to me, you say to them.” She looks at the others and leans to Oliver, “It’s personal and private.” John looks at him then grabs Roy and they depart. Felicity once again makes to move. Oliver shakes his head. 

“Felicity is staying. She is part of my life, the most important part.” Laurel looks pissed. Felicity is worried. 

“Fine. You’re little girlfriend came over to confront me. I don’t need this. I lost my sister. It’s not fair, Ollie. Staying sober is hard enough without HER making me feel worse.” She starts crying, or trying to more likely. Felicity doesn’t roll her eyes. She waits to see what Oliver will do. 

“If sobriety is that hard, then being on the team cannot be good for you.” She stops sobbing and turns to him. “Are you kicking me out?” 

“No. Laurel. I am trying to make things easier. I am with Felicity now. That’s not changing. The main thing changing is me. I’m not going to let you manipulate me or hurt my team.” She huffs.

“Oliver, I did go to her place. I wasn’t very nice..” She looks at the floor.   
“I know you. I know you only said what you pushed to say. You are too kind for your own good.” Laurel watches them intently. “I should have been the one to set things right. I needed to make sure she understood both your place on the team and by my side.” He turns to look at Laurel. She is shaking her head. 

“You...you really are in love with her? Even after everything we are to one another...you want her? You are different with her...for her?” She questions. He just nods. Laurel looks confused.    
“I need some time Ollie.” She walks out. She isn’t crying but she isn’t good either. Felicity makes a mental note to call Captain Lance to make sure someone who cares for her check on her. Laurel may not be her favorite person, but they have a lot of people in common. They need to find a common middle ground. Felicity knows it’s up to her do it. 

John and Roy come back down the stairs. 

“We good?” John asks. They smile at him. Felicity goes over and hugs him. “Thanks for being our love Yoda.” she kisses his cheek. John smiles at her. She doesn’t know if he knows who Yoda is, but she is glad she has her own personal one. She walks over to Roy. “Thank you for last night. It really helped to pass the time.” She leans up and kisses his cheek. Roy looks over her shoulder to Oliver and his eyes almost bulge out of his head. He gulps. 

“Oliver! Stop scaring him! He came over watched crappy reality tv with me while you and John were talking.” She doesn’t know why he is upset. Then she replays her words in her head. Oh. She practically skips back over to his side. She kisses him quickly. 

“Nothing happened. No need to get all broody mcbrood on us.” He looks down at her and gives her his almost smile. She sees in his eyes he isn’t upset any longer. They have their team meeting. Felicity looks around and thinks back on how life has changed. 

She has the man on her dreams and her boys are all part of a team. This isn’t the life she thought she would ever get to have. She smiles at them. She never thought Oliver would see her as anything more than his assistant and his IT girl. She really thought their chance, if they had one was over. 

Life has a way of surprising you if you let it.


End file.
